Plant Fact Sheet

(20% of the diet) exhibited a progressive reduction of PRAIRIE ACACIA intake and weight reduction. All rabbits consuming prairie acacia showed central nervous system Acacia angustissima (P. Mill.) disturbances. Researchers, in Stephenville, Texas, Kuntze compared 15 native perennial herbaceous legumes Plant Symbol = ACAN for herbage production, crude protein percentage, and laboratory measurements of digestibility. Prairie Contributed by: USDA NRCS James E. ‘Bud’ Smith acacia exhibited high, compared to the other species, Plant Materials Center herbage yield and crude protein percentage. The laboratory measurements suggested that prairie acacia is more digestible to livestock than other species tested

Restoration: Prairie acacia is a hardy and drought tolerant plant that is useful for revegetation of land disturbed by mining or road construction.

Wildlife: Prairie acacia is browsed by white-tail deer. It is a prolific seed producer. Quail and other birds will utilize the seed for food and the vegetation provides cover for small animals and wild birds.

Alley Cropping: Prairie acacia has potential as a nitrogen fixation tree for alley cropping systems in the Caribbean and other subtropical and tropical Rudy G. Esquivel areas. USDA NRCS James E. ‘Bud’ Smith PMC

Status Alternate Names Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Fern acacia, white-ball acacia, Texas acacia, prairie Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s guajillo current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species,

state noxious status, and wetland indicator values). Uses

Erosion control: Prairie acacia may provide ground Description cover vegetation for critically eroding areas to reduce Pea Family (Fabaceae). Prairie acacia is a native, soil erosion and improve water quality. perennial, warm-season, hardy, deep taproot legume.

A smooth and small rounded shrub, forming colonies Livestock: Prairie acacia forms a symbiotic by means of woody rhizomes with aerial stems and association with rhizobial bacteria, and this that are thornless and rarely over three feet tall. The association fixes atmospheric nitrogen. The measured plant has an attractive and delicate fern-like foliage crude protein percentage of prairie acacia leaves which closes at night and when touched. Stems are ranges from 16 to 29. Prairie acacia can withstand thin, usually unbranched, glabrate, and ridged. frequent cutting or defoliation. Prairie acacia has Leaves are alternate, the blade divided into usually 3- been extensively investigated as a fodder shrub/tree 12 pairs of segments, these again divided into 6-20 for tropical areas. Reports describe prairie acacia as pairs of tiny leaflets. Flowers are small and white to having low to moderate palatability. The leaves of creamy yellow. It has 5 petals and stamens prairie acacia contain tannins and non-protein amino numerous, long, and protruding. Flowers numerous, acids. These compounds are toxic to some animals. congested in rounded terminal clusters on long stalks Sudden dietary supplementation with prairie acacia arising from upper leaf axils. Fruit is brownish flat fodder at high concentrations caused death in sheep. seed pod 4-7 cm (1.6-2.8 in) long and 6-8 mm (0.25- The signs of toxicity from prairie acacia are similar to 0.3) wide. Plant is similar in appearance to Illinois those exhibited by sheep fed flat pea (Lathyrus sylvestris) hay. Rabbits fed prairie acacia leaves

Plant Materials Plant Fact Sheet/Guide Coordination Page National Plant Data Center

bundleflower, Desmanthus illinoensis, but the fruit Prepared By and leaf structures are different. Rudy G. Esquivel, USDA NRCS James E. “Bud” Smith Plant Materials Center, Knox City, Texas Adaptation and Prairie acacia is native from Columbia and the James Henson, USDA NRCS National Plant Data Caribbean, north to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Arkansas, Missouri, and Florida. Prairie acacia is a tough subshrub found in dry soils on prairie hillsides, Species Coordinator: savannahs, rock outcrops, grasslands and open Rudy G. Esquivel, USDA NRCS/James E. ‘Bud’ shrubby vegetation areas. It grows on well-drained Smith Plant Materials, Center, Knox City, Texas acidic to slightly alkaline soils. This drought tolerant Edited: 070108 jsp perennial subshrub grows from Zones 6a-10b of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones Map. For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the Establishment PLANTS Web site or the Plant Materials A well prepared seedbed that has been plowed, Program Web site harrowed, and compacted to produce a clean and firm seedbed is required. For seed production at the The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of NRCS/James E. ‘Bud’ Smith Plant Materials Center race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political near Knox City, Texas, seeds were planted in 40 inch beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all row pattern at a depth of ¾ inch at five 5 Pure Live prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities Seed (PLS) pound per acre. A two row cotton planter, who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact with a junior planter attachment, for slick seeds, was USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). used. On established pasture a native grass drill equipped To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office with coulters and with a small legume box will do of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call well for planting. Another planting method if a 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity native grass drill is not available or cannot be used provider and employer. due to terrain, is tracking the ground with a bulldozer then broadcasting the seed. Seeds should be Read about Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Conservation inoculated before planting with a general cowpea Service. inoculant. The proper time of planting is from March to April to assure establishment before summer. The seed of prairie acacia are small, about 198450- 220500 seeds per pound. Mechanical scarification and soaking seed in cold water have produced increases in the germination percentage.

Management Plan a grazing management system for prairie acacia growing in pasture or rangeland. Prairie acacia can decrease under misuse or heavy grazing. For an aesthetic landscape use, these plants with their round white flowers that appear in the summer into fall, are attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.

Pests and Potential Problems No Pest or potential problems were found on prairie acacia while growing at the NRCS/James E. ‘Bud’ Smith Plant Materials Center near Knox City, Texas.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) There are currently no cultivars of prairie acacia in the commercial seed or plant production.